CN110234512B - Roller feed mechanism for printer with multiple print heads - Google Patents

Roller feed mechanism for printer with multiple print heads Download PDF

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Publication number
CN110234512B
CN110234512B CN201880009241.9A CN201880009241A CN110234512B CN 110234512 B CN110234512 B CN 110234512B CN 201880009241 A CN201880009241 A CN 201880009241A CN 110234512 B CN110234512 B CN 110234512B
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China
Prior art keywords
printer
roller assembly
printhead
print
media
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CN201880009241.9A
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CN110234512A (en
Inventor
罗梅尔·巴拉拉
丹·巴特娜
比利·西
克里斯多佛·希巴德
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Memjet Technology Ltd
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Memjet Technology Ltd
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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/21Ink jet for multi-colour printing
    • B41J2/2132Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding
    • B41J2/2146Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding for line print heads
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J11/00Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/20Platen adjustments for varying the strength of impression, for a varying number of papers, for wear or for alignment, or for print gap adjustment
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J11/00Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/0085Using suction for maintaining printing material flat
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J11/00Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/02Platens
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J13/00Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/0009Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets control of the transport of the copy material
    • B41J13/0027Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets control of the transport of the copy material in the printing section of automatic paper handling systems
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J13/00Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/02Rollers
    • B41J13/03Rollers driven, e.g. feed rollers separate from platen
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2/135Nozzles
    • B41J2/145Arrangement thereof
    • B41J2/155Arrangement thereof for line printing
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/54Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed with two or more sets of type or printing elements
    • B41J3/543Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed with two or more sets of type or printing elements with multiple inkjet print heads
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H11/00Feed tables
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H29/00Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
    • B65H29/12Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands or rollers
    • B65H29/125Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles by means of the nip between two, or between two sets of, moving tapes or bands or rollers between two sets of rollers
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H5/00Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines
    • B65H5/06Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by rollers or balls, e.g. between rollers
    • B65H5/062Feeding articles separated from piles; Feeding articles to machines by rollers or balls, e.g. between rollers between rollers or balls
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J13/00Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/0072Handling wide cut sheets, e.g. using means for enabling or facilitating the conveyance of wide sheets
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/01Ink jet
    • B41J2002/012Ink jet with intermediate transfer member
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2515/00Physical entities not provided for in groups B65H2511/00 or B65H2513/00
    • B65H2515/30Forces; Stresses
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65HHANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2801/00Application field
    • B65H2801/03Image reproduction devices

Abstract

A printer (1) includes: a fixed first print head (3); a fixed second print head (5) positioned downstream of the first print head (3) with respect to a media feed direction (F); a stationary platen (7) for supporting a print medium (9); an input roller assembly (15) positioned upstream of the first printhead (3), the input roller assembly (15) including a pair of input rollers (16A, 16B) having a first nip force N1(ii) a An output roller assembly (21) positioned downstream of the second printhead (5), the output roller assembly (21) including a pair of output rollers (22A, 22B) having a second clamping force N2(ii) a And an intermediate roller assembly (25) positioned between the first printhead and the second printhead, the intermediate roller assembly (25) including a pair of intermediate rollers (24A, 24B) having a third clamping force N3. The clamping force satisfies N1>N2>N3For achieving optimal printing results.

Description

Roller feed mechanism for printer with multiple print heads
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a roller feed mechanism for a printer. The roller feed mechanism was developed primarily to feed sheets of print media past a plurality of fixed printheads at high speeds.
Background
The applicant has developed a series of products as described, for example, in WO2011/143700, WO 2011/143699 and WO 2009/089567
Figure BDA0002148968110000011
Ink jet printers, the contents of these patents are incorporated herein by reference.
Figure BDA0002148968110000012
Printers employ a fixed printhead in combination with a feed mechanism that feeds a single pass of the print media past the printhead. Therefore, the temperature of the molten metal is controlled,
Figure BDA0002148968110000013
printers provide higher printing speeds than conventional scanning inkjet printers.
High speed single pass inkjet printing requires precise media processing, particularly in the print zone of the printhead, in order to provide acceptable print quality. With a fixed printhead of a given length, a relatively wide print zone can be constructed by arranging the printheads in staggered overlapping arrays across the print zone. For example, an A3 print zone may be constructed by positioning a pair of a4 printheads in a staggered, overlapping arrangement.
For relatively narrow print zones (e.g., a4 paper size or narrower), the system of entrance and exit rollers in combination with a fixed media platen generally provides sufficient stability in the print zone to achieve acceptable print quality (see, e.g., US 8,523,316, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).
However, for wider media widths and/or faster printing speeds, more complex media feed mechanisms are typically required. For example, US 8,540,361 describes a feed mechanism suitable for wide-format printing, which includes a combination of a stationary vacuum platen, an upstream drive roller, and a downstream vacuum belt mechanism. The printer described in US 8,540,361 employs five printhead modules arranged in a staggered overlapping array across the print zone.
In other high speed printers, a vacuum belt mechanism may be employed for driving the print media through the print zone. However, the vacuum belt mechanism (which transports the media through the print zone) is problematic for inkjet printing because the belt can become contaminated with ink during printing (e.g., creating occasional ink mists or paper dust during high speed printing). Further, the inkjet printhead typically performs many inter-page spitting of ink in order to reduce the frequency of maintenance interventions, and the endless belt is not suitable for inter-page spitting of ink because ink stains the belt.
It is desirable to provide a printer having a feed mechanism adapted to feed a sheet of print media through a print zone defined by a plurality of overlapping printheads.
Disclosure of Invention
In a first aspect, there is provided a printer comprising:
a stationary first printhead having a corresponding first print zone;
a stationary second printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead relative to a media feed direction, the second printhead having a respective second print zone;
at least one fixed platen for supporting print media in the first and second print zones;
an input roller assembly positioned upstream of the first printhead, the input roller assembly including a pair of input rollers having a first nip force N therebetween1
An output roller assembly positioned downstream of the second print head, the output roller assemblyThe output roller assembly comprises a pair of output rollers, and a second clamping force N is formed between the output rollers2(ii) a And
a middle roller assembly positioned between the first printhead and the second printhead, the middle roller assembly including a pair of middle rollers having a third clamping force N therebetween3
Wherein N is1>N2>N3
The printer according to the first aspect advantageously provides a roller feed mechanism for feeding a print medium past a plurality of print heads aligned in a media feed direction. In particular by means of a clamping force N1、N2And N3The relationship between minimizes undesirable speed variations.
Preferably, the first and second printheads are positioned in an overlapping arrangement relative to the media feed direction. Preferably, the printhead is an inkjet printhead and may comprise a plurality of printhead chips based on page-wide printing technology.
Preferably, the platen extends between the first and second printheads and defines a common surface for supporting print media in the first and second print zones.
Preferably, the input roller assembly is positioned upstream of the platen, the output roller assembly is positioned downstream of the platen and the intermediate roller assembly has an intermediate roller embedded in the platen.
Preferably, the platen provides a planar path for print media passing through the first and second print zones. For example, the trajectory may be horizontal.
Preferably, the platen is a vacuum platen.
Preferably, the input roller assembly, the output roller assembly and the intermediate roller assembly have respective drive rollers operatively connected to a common drive mechanism.
Preferably, the printer satisfies one or more of the following relationships:
N1>(N2+N3);
N1>2N2
N1>5N2
N1>10N2
N2>2N3
N1in the range of 10 newtons to 60 newtons;
N2in the range of 1 newton to 5 newtons; and is
N3In the range of 0.3 newtons to 2 newtons.
In one embodiment, N1、N2And N3Is variable within predetermined operating parameters of the printer. E.g. N1、N2And N3The clamping force of one or more of may depend at least in part on a stiffness of a print medium used for printing. Further, the printer may be configured to associate the predetermined media type with N1、N2And N3Is associated with a predetermined clamping force.
In one embodiment, N2And/or N3A relatively high clamping force for relatively stiff print media.
As used herein, the term "printer" refers to any printing device that marks print media, such as conventional desktop printers, label printers, copiers, photocopiers, and the like. In one embodiment, the printer is a sheet-fed printing device.
Drawings
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a printer having a printhead and a scroll wheel assembly according to a first aspect; and is
Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the printer shown in fig. 1.
Detailed Description
Referring to fig. 1, a printer 1 is shown comprising a fixed first printhead 3 and a fixed second printhead 5 positioned downstream of the first printhead with respect to a media feed direction F. The fixed vacuum platen 7 is positioned to support a sheet of print media 9 (e.g., paper) fed through the respective print zones of the first and second printheads 3 and 5. The platen 7 has a planar upper surface so that the print medium is fed in a horizontal track past the first and second printheads 3, 5. A vacuum platen 7 provides suction to the print media passing over the platen. Thus, the print media is stably supported flat on the vacuum platen 7 as the media travels through the spaced apart print zones of the respective printhead printheads. Vacuum platens are known to those skilled in the art and include, for example, an internal vacuum plenum connected to a vacuum source and an apertured upper surface (not shown) in communication with the vacuum plenum.
As shown in fig. 2, the first and second printheads 3, 5 partially overlap in the media feed direction F, each printhead printing about half of an image (not shown). Suitable algorithms may be used to mask any stitching artifacts between the two printheads using techniques known in the art (see, for example, US 6,394,573, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference). Thus, for example, a pair of overlapping a4 size printheads can be used to print on an A3 sheet.
The input roller assembly 15 consists of a pair of input rollers positioned upstream of the vacuum platen 7. The input roller assembly 15 receives the leading edge of the media sheet 9 and is configured for feeding the sheet in the media feed direction F towards the print zone of the first printhead 3. The input roller assembly 15 defines a first nip 17 between the upper input idler roller 16A and the lower input drive roller 16B engaged therewith. The first nip has a corresponding first clamping force N1
The output roller assembly 21 is composed of a pair of output rollers positioned at the platen with respect to the medium feeding direction FDownstream of the cartridge 7. The output roller assembly 21 is configured to receive the media sheet 9 from the vacuum platen 7 and to convey the sheet into a discharge tray (not shown) of the printer 1. The output roller assembly 21 defines a second nip 23 between the upper output idler roller 22A and the lower input drive roller 22B engaged therewith. The second nip has a corresponding first clamping force N2
The intermediate roller assembly 25 is at least partially embedded in the vacuum platen 7 and consists of a pair of intermediate rollers (e.g., star wheels) positioned between the first and second printheads 3, 5. The intermediate roller assembly 25 is configured to receive the media sheet 9 from the first input roller assembly 15 and feed the sheet past the second printhead 5 toward the output roller assembly 21. The intermediate roller assembly 25 defines a third nip 27 between an upper intermediate idler roller 24A and a lower intermediate drive roller 24B (shown in phantom) engaged therewith and embedded in the platen 7. The third nip 27 has a corresponding first nip force N3
The input roller assembly 15, the intermediate roller assembly 25, and the output roller assembly 21 together form part of the media feed mechanism of the printer 1. The media feed mechanism may include other components as known in the art, such as a media picker (not shown). Further, each roller assembly may include a single roller extending across the media width or a plurality of rollers spaced across the media width.
While the vacuum platen 7 assists in maintaining the media sheet flat across the print zone of the first and second printheads 3, 5, the application of suction causes the media sheet to be relatively more difficult to drive across the platen. Thus, the intermediate roller assembly 25 with the third nip 27 assists in driving the media sheet 9 from the first nip 17 toward the second nip 23.
Preferably, each of the roller assemblies 15, 25 and 21 includes a respective drive roller (drive rollers 16B, 24B and 22B) operatively connected to a common drive mechanism indicated by arrow D. For example, an endless belt (not shown) may be employed as a common drive mechanism that drives all of the drive rollers at a nominally constant speed.
Although each of the drive rollers 16B, 24B, and 22B described above use a common drive mechanism, the introduction of the intermediate drive roller 24B in the feed mechanism presents the possibility of slight speed variations in the media sheet 9 as it transitions between roller assemblies. Any slight variation in velocity will cause printing artifacts and this is highly undesirable.
Thus, the driving roller assembly 15 is configured such that the first clamping force N1Greater than the third clamping force N3And a second clamping force N2. Thus, the first drive roller 16B dominates and controls the speed of the print medium 9 when any part of the print medium engages the printing nip 17. If, for example, the first nip 17 is travelling faster than the third nip 27, the first nip may simply push the print medium 9 through the third nip. On the other hand, if the third nip is travelling faster than the first nip 17, the third nip 17 tensions the print medium 9, and the speed of dragging the print medium will not be faster than the speed of the first nip.
A similar relationship exists between the second nip 23 of the output roller assembly 21 and the third nip 27. Thus, the second clamping force N2Is configured to be greater than a third clamping force N3But less than the first clamping force N1. Thus, when the print media 9 engages the first nip 17, the first platen velocity controls the velocity of the print media on the vacuum platen 7. However, when the trailing edge of the print medium 9 has disengaged from the first nip 17, then the second nip velocity controls the velocity of the print medium. In this manner, the intermediate roller assembly 25 assists in the transport of the print medium 9 over the vacuum platen 7, but does not affect the relationship between the input roller assembly 15 and the output roller assembly 21.
Preferably, N1Greater than N2And N3Combined to achieve optimal printing results. In one arrangement, N1=56N;N23.1N; and N is30.8N. However, it should be understood that N1、N2And N3Can be adjusted by the person skilled in the art in order to obtainAn optimal printing result is achieved. Ideally, the print media 9 should be a rigid body under each print zone and this stiffness depends on, for example, the stiffness of the print media, the amount of suction of the vacuum platen, the relative clamping force in the feed mechanism, the distance between the nips, etc. One or more of the input roller, output roller, and intermediate roller may be spring-mounted and spring tension adjusted appropriately to optimize printing conditions within the scope of the present invention.
In particular, the clamping force N2And N3Should be minimized as much as possible so that the likelihood of buckling is minimized when the print medium 9 is under control of the input roller assembly 15. However, at least some clamping force must be maintained in order to drive the print media 9 across the vacuum platen 7. In some embodiments, the clamping force N1、N2And N3May be varied to optimize printing conditions for different media types having different stiffness. For example, the predetermined media type may invoke a predetermined nip force setting in the printer, as appropriate (e.g., manual entry of the media type via a user interface, barcode sensing of the media, or media packaging, etc.). Typically, relatively hard media types tolerate N2And N3Higher values of (b) because harder print media have less tendency to buckle. Conversely, a relatively less stiff print medium requires N2And N3Because such a printing medium has a greater tendency to buckle.
The vacuum platen 7 can be lifted towards and away from the print heads 3 and 5 to enable capping and/or maintenance (when intervention is required), or to clear a jam. Suitable arrangements for lifting and translating the platen for maintenance and/or capping interventions are described in US 8,523,316, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally or alternatively, each print head 3 and 5 may be raised towards and away from the platen 7. Suitable arrangements for lifting and translating the printhead to effect maintenance and/or capping interventions are described in US 9,061,531, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Although the invention has been described with reference to two overlapping fixed printheads, it will of course be understood that the invention may be applied to any number of printheads (e.g. three or more) arranged along a media feed path, regardless of whether the printheads overlap, do not overlap or are aligned. For example, additional third and fourth printheads may be positioned between the first and second printheads, with an intermediate roller positioned between each printhead in this order. These and other arrangements having three or more printheads are within the scope of the present invention.
It will, of course, be understood that the present invention has been described by way of example only and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. A printer, comprising:
a stationary first printhead having a corresponding first print zone;
a stationary second printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead relative to a media feed direction, the second printhead having a respective second print zone;
at least one fixed platen for supporting print media in the first print zone and the second print zone;
an input roller assembly positioned upstream of the first printhead, the input roller assembly including a pair of input rollers having a first nip force N therebetween1
An output roller assembly positioned downstream of the second printhead, the output roller assembly including a pair of output rollers having a second clamping force N therebetween2(ii) a And
a middle roller assembly positioned between the first printhead and the second printhead, the middle roller assembly including a pair of middle rollers having a third clamping force N therebetween3
Wherein N is1>N2>N3
2. The printer of claim 1, wherein the first printhead and the second printhead are positioned in an overlapping arrangement relative to the media feed direction.
3. The printer of claim 1 wherein the at least one fixed platen extends between the first and second printheads and defines a common surface for supporting print media in the first and second print zones.
4. The printer of claim 3, wherein the input roller assembly is positioned upstream of the at least one fixed platen, the output roller assembly is positioned downstream of the at least one fixed platen and the intermediate roller assembly has an intermediate roller embedded in the at least one fixed platen.
5. The printer of claim 3, wherein the at least one fixed platen provides a planar path for print media passing through the first and second print zones.
6. The printer of claim 1 wherein the at least one fixed platen is a vacuum platen.
7. The printer of claim 1 wherein the input roller assembly, the output roller assembly, and the intermediate roller assembly have respective drive rollers operatively connected to a common drive mechanism.
8. The printer of claim 1, wherein N1>(N2+N3)。
9. The printer of claim 1, wherein N1>2N2
10. The printer of claim 1, wherein N2>2N3
11. The printer of claim 1, wherein:
N1in the range of 10 newtons to 60 newtons;
N2in the range of 1 newton to 5 newtons; and is
N3In the range of 0.3 newtons to 2 newtons.
12. The printer of claim 1, wherein N1、N2And N3Can vary within predetermined operating parameters of the printer.
13. The printer of claim 1, wherein N1、N2And N3The clamping force of one or more of (a) is dependent, at least in part, on the stiffness of the print media used for printing.
14. The printer of claim 13, wherein N2Relatively high clamping force and/or N3A relatively high clamping force for a relatively stiff print medium.
15. The printer of claim 13 configurable to associate a predetermined media type with N1、N2And N3Is associated with a predetermined clamping force.
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